Ramaphosa was aware of task team disbandment, police commissioner testifies | Madlanga Commission

National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, said President Cyril Ramaphosa was aware that his Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu had ordered the disbandment of Political Killings Task Team.

In fact, testified, Masemola, he had asked Ramaphosa to intervene but heard nothing back from the president, nor did he follow up on his request.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria on Monday, Masemola confirmed that he turned to Ramaphosa as his only avenue after Mchunu ordered the disbandment of the PKTT, which was established to tackle politically motivated killings, particularly in KZN.

“I did speak to the president,” Masemola said under oath.

“The president met with the minister, but I was never given feedback. I didn’t follow up. I couldn't take my own minister to court. There was no other avenue.”

Masemola clarified that while he didn’t formally disband the team, he began preparing proposals on how the disbandment could be phased out - a move that, according to the commission, effectively signalled his acceptance of the minister’s instruction.

“You didn't take any action. All you did was start preparing a report which recommended how it should be done,” a commissioner asked. 

Masemola replied, “That's correct. So what I did was to propose that if we disband, this is the way.”

The disbandment order came despite the task team’s critical role in investigating political violence. Masemola insisted he continued to renew the PKTT’s operational authorities, and no formal letter to disband the team was ever signed.

However, under cross-examination, it was pointed out that Masemola’s own statements indicated he had accepted the decision in principle.

“You may not have gotten to the stage of actually killing it, but you had accepted that it must be killed - in a phased manner. So you basically accepted the instruction,” a commissioner stated.

Masemola agreed: “Yeah, correct, Commissioner. Yes, in terms of those proposals. That’s what I ended up proposing to the minister.”

When asked whether the January 22 report recommending the phased approach had been signed off by Mchunu, Masemola said, “No. We were left in limbo.”

The revelation raises significant questions around political interference in police operations, and whether executive decisions are undermining the fight against politically motivated crime in South Africa.

Meanwhile, he confirmed that KZN Police Commissioner, Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi did report the matter to the Portfolio Committee on Police. 

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za 

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